GOLF

GOLF; Focus Is on the Big Four, and Wie

By CLIFTON BROWN

Published: July 3, 2003

NORTH PLAINS, Ore., July 2—
Despite an influx of young talent in professional women's golf, four players have dominated recent major championships.

In fact, 15 of the last 17 majors have been captured by one of the big four -- Annika Sorenstam, Se Ri Pak, Juli Inkster and Karrie Webb.

So as the United States Women's Open begins Thursday at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, Sorenstam remains the best player, but she has three worthy rivals who are not intimidated by her presence.

''I know if she's playing good and I'm playing good, we're going to have a good match,'' said Inkster, the defending Open champion, who came from behind to beat Sorenstam last year. ''Week in and week out, she's going to beat me. That's just the way it is. But come a few tournaments during the year, I know I can go head to head with her. I enjoy that. That's why I practice. That's what gets me out of bed in the morning.''

With the top four ready to resume their rivalry, and a bevy of young players looking to make their mark, this year's Open has the potential to be one of the most entertaining in years. A remarkable 14 teenagers qualified for the 156-player field, including Michelle Wie, a talented 13-year-old who recently won the U.S.G.A. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.

''I'm old enough to be a mother to all of them,'' said Inkster, who at age 43 could become the oldest major winner in women's history. ''I don't know why there's so many. I didn't even start until I was 15. It's really hard for me to comprehend what's going on.

''I think a lot of it is teaching. When I started, I'd take a lesson once every six months. Now you look on the range, everyone has their teacher, their video cameras. It's a business. And the technology is so superior.''

The recent publicity given to Wie, who is 6 feet tall and drives the ball more than 280 yards consistently, has not gone unnoticed by veteran L.P.G.A. players. They have been impressed by Wie's ability, and they wish her a long, successful career. But the veterans are not ready to usher in the Wie era just yet.

Does Wie's presence stoke Inkster's fire a little more?

''That stokes it all I need,'' Inkster said. ''I've been up there a long time. Michelle Wie, she's impressive, 13, and she hits the ball a long way. But I still feel I can come out and compete and win.''

Wie has looked very comfortable in the spotlight this week, just as she has for months. What would Wie say to people who think she is too young to be in an Open at 13?

''How do they know?'' said Wie, drawing laughter from the crowd at her press conference. ''I mean, they're not 13. They're probably 30 years old, watching TV, watching me play. I'm still young and fresh, and I can handle it.''

After tying for ninth place at the year's first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, Wie has not ruled out the possibility of winning.

''I guess everyone comes here to win,'' Wie said. ''Of course I want to win. But I just want to make par on every hole, play consistently, try not to make too many mistakes, and hopefully I'll make the top 10 or win.''

Pumpkin Ridge has already been the host for two memorable national championships: the 1996 men's United States Amateur and the 1997 Women's Open. In 1996, Tiger Woods won his third consecutive Amateur with a dramatic comeback victory over Steve Scott. A year later, Alison Nicholas and Nancy Lopez staged an emotional final-round duel, with Nicholas winning by one stroke, handing Lopez, who has never won the Open, the most heartbreaking loss of her Hall of Fame career.

Whatever happens this week at Pumpkin Ridge, which is located about 20 miles west of Portland, will take place on a challenging layout. The course is the longest in Women's Open history (6,550 yards), almost 200 yards longer than it was in 1997. With dry, sunny weather expected throughout the week, the course will play hard and fast. Nicholas shot 10 under par when she won in 1997, but few players expect anyone to shoot that low this week.

Meanwhile, Sorenstam has a score to settle at Pumpkin Ridge. After winning the Open in 1995 and 1996, Sorenstam arrived in 1997 with a chance to become the only player to win it three consecutive times. Instead, Sorenstam missed the cut, admittedly flustered by the attention she received that week.

''I just couldn't handle the pressure,'' said Sorenstam, who is coming off a victory at last month's major, the L.P.G.A. Championship. ''It was early in my career. I've experienced a lot since then.''

One of those experiences was this year's Colonial, when Sorenstam became the first woman in 58 years to play a PGA Tour event. Since returning to the L.P.G.A. Tour, Sorenstam has won twice, and she would like to cap her year by winning the next two majors -- the one this weekend and next month's Women's British Open.

But no matter where a major is played, it is a safe bet at least one of the big four players will find her way onto the leader board. Pak has won four majors, Sorenstam five, Webb six and Inkster seven. And this weekend, they all hope to add to their total.

''I've always felt this is the biggest championship,'' Sorenstam said. ''As a little kid, I would practice putt at home, and I would always say, 'This is to win the U.S. Open.' I never said that for any other tournament. It was the U.S. Open that came to mind.''

Photo: Juli Inkster, the defending champion, feels she can play with Annika Sorenstam and anybody young or old. (Associated Press)